Posted: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 12:00 am
The Community Services Consortium has received three grants recently that will allow the organization to increase volunteer services in Linn and Benton counties, provide stipends and tools for those in the YouthBuild program and purchase fuel for Linn Benton Food Share trucks.
Meyer Memorial trust for Linn Benton RSVP
A three-year grant from Meyer Memorial Trust to CSC's Linn Benton RSVP, the volunteer center for Linn and Benton counties, which focuses on volunteer opportunities for persons age 55 and over. It has a network of 780 volunteers, who last year helped a wide variety of nonprofits including health and nutrition, economic development, mentoring, public safety and more.
The organization will receive $15,000 the first year, with $10,000 and $5,000 in challenge grants for years two and three.
RSVP will contact, recruit and work with 90 local smaller nonprofit groups and provide eight training workshops for potential LBvision users. LBvision Volunteer Center is an interactive online volunteer resource providing outreach and volunteer-connectivity to nonprofit organizations in Linn and Benton counties.
The money also will help expand the five programs which Linn Benton RSVP houses: Tax-Aide volunteers helping people e-file their taxes; Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) volunteers assisting Medicare-eligible clients with Medicare assistance, including Part D, advocacy and supplemental insurance questions; Senior Peer Counselors, who help people find solutions to difficult problems; and Safe & Secure Seniors Independent (SASSI), which offers free home security and fire safety inspections and installation of safety hardware for older adults living in Benton County.
Collins Foundation for YouthBuild
The Collins Foundation provided a $25,000 grant to CSC's YouthBuild program, which helps at-risk youth continue their education and participate in community service projects.
Housing, Employment and Learning Programs for Self-Sufficiency (HELPS), a non profit limb of the CSC Workforce and Education program, requested the grant to pay stipends for the youth participating in the YouthBuild Program. The youth learn construction skills by building houses for low-income families while studying toward a GED or high school diploma. They earn the stipends based on their work performance on the job site and on classroom achievements. YouthBuild partners with Habitat for Humanity in Lebanon to build the houses.
The 9- to 12-month YouthBuild Program helps shepherd 20 to 25 youth at a time on to productive and successful lives. Many YouthBuild graduates have successfully entered the workforce while others have gone on to college.
Juan Young Trust for three programs
The Juan Young Trust recently gave a total of $26,000 in funding for three CSC programs: CSC's charter school, Career Tech in Lincoln City; YouthBuild; and Linn Benton Food Share.
Career Tech received $7,000 towards the purchase of a used van, which will transport eight youth and the necessary tools and equipment to conservation, work, and educational sites. It also will be used to increase services to teen parents, homeless youth and runaway youth.
"The van will be vital to continue our community outreach programs," said Chris Thompson, Project Instructor for Career Tech.
HELPS received $9,000 for YouthBuild. The money will be used to buy hand tools, supplies for the classroom and work site and supportive services such as counseling, medical expenses and prescriptions and other necessities for the classroom.
Linn Benton Food Share (LBFS) received $10,000 toward the purchase of food and fuel for LBFS trucks. Increasing local and national costs for basic commodities resulted in a decrease of nearly 500,000 pounds of food distributed by LBFS this year, while food pantries and soup kitchens are serving a record number of people.
Community Services Consortium, a nonprofit organization established in 1980, is the state-designated Community Action Agency serving Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties. CSC's staff of 170 develops, manages, and provides a wide range of services to over 40,000 low and moderate income individuals and families, annually, to help them meet their basic needs and develop the skills for self-sufficiency. Services are funded through federal, state and private grants, donations, local levies, and fund-raising efforts.
For more information, or to support CSC and its many programs, please contact (541) 752-1010 or visit our website www.csc.gen.or.us.